John Key

Key, John, 1961–, New Zealand investment banker and politician, prime minister of New Zealand (2008–), b. Auckland, studied Univ. of Canterbury (B.Comm., 1982) and Harvard. Trained as an accountant, Key worked for a large American investment bank. Posted in Singapore, London, and Sydney, he became an extremely successful currency and bond trader. A member of the center-right National party, he returned home (2001) to begin a political career and was first elected to parliament in 2002. In 2004 he was named his party's financial spokesman and in 2006 party leader. A centrist who did much to reinvigorate his party, he became prime minister when the National party won a plurality in the 2008 elections; he again led the party to a win in 2011.

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